Welcome to Beijing for the start of the Badaling International, which takes us from the Chinese capital out to the famous Great Wall, with the finish there. Almost all the top puncheurs in cycling are here for the PT season opener, including Hagen from the PCT. Last year it was Ginanni taking the win for newly promoted Gazelle, can Bakelants do the same for Strava or Ponzi for Hugo Boss this time around?
A bright day here in Beijing with a cool nor-easterly giving the riders a medium strength crosswind for all of today's race. Shouldn't be enough for damage but you never know.
A chaotic first 70km mean the breakaway of the day is only just formed as we approach the wall. In the move are Boroš, Bovenhuis, Tharuka and Bolivar.
What is a sunny Beijing day is also a wet Badaling one. The latest crash victims, in the gates of the wall, are luckily all OK and contain no big names but do illustrate the danger this classic could pose.
Meanwhile with 125km to go the peloton, lead by Strava, Tinkoff and Grieg, are taking it easier for now and the break have an advatnge of 4'34.
It's his first pro race but the prodigious Lopez is taking the game to the Pro Tour, he's on the front as Evonik turn up the heat. The third to last time up the climb, about 170 riders left in the peloton and the break has 3'45 with 60km to go.
Now it's Beltran dropped after a crash, his teammates drop to help him but it could be over for the Colombian. Meanwhile his teammate Teuns is our first retiree after a hard knock from his crash on the descent.
The rain has stopped but it's effects are still felt: it's reigning champion Ginanni with a puncture! He should get back on with his whole squad dropping back to help but Evonik and Strava have been pushing the pace quite a bit and the peloton isn't going to wait for him!
They're back but still have to get to the front with Hugo Boss taking the initiative at the front. Will we see a daring Ponzi move on our penultimate time up the climb?
Up the road Bovenhuis can feel the peloton coming closer and attacks the breakaway. Bolivar follows.
No moves on the climb but on the descent! Bakelants tries to sprint away solo but is tailed closely by Trofimov, Sagan, Alarcon and Hagen. Meanwhile Ponzi and Jayco - Cobra9 try to shut it down.
Eventually 15 riders get a gap actually but the peloton is chasing hard. The riders are Ponzi, Silva, Alarcon Bakelants, Vanendert, Bobridge, Van der Haar Hagen, Skjerping, Boswell, Castroviejo, Skujins, Koretzky, Sagan and Trofimov. Behind it's Aegon and Puma looking to shut this dangerous move down.
*cue Matt White paraglider clip*
This is not a drill! Hagen, Bobridge and Skujins both fall over the crashed breakaway man Bovenhuis. This is the end of the move that just got away as well.
Knowing full well what is happening as it just happened next to them, Hugo Boss turn up the heat on the still 150-man peloton as the final time up the climb draws near.
Luckily all three make it back, but they're out of position and the Spanish team continue their pace onto the climb. Can they make it back before festivities truly begin?
With 20km and a lot of the climb to go, it's Peter Sagan making the first move!
It's Bakelants and Trofimov joining him as Hugo Boss give their all to shut the gap.
Evonik decide Hugo Boss are doing a terrible job and take up the mantle of chasers. We also see Bobridge in about 6th wheel after a quick recovery from the crash.
A third of the pack drop off with the big casualty being (PDL) Lutsenko, who is having an off day. 16km to go and the trio up front have 32 seconds on the peloton.
Smirnovs is sprinting up this hill but the gap is only growing, it's over 40 seconds now!
Under 13 kilometres to go and with the gap bordering a minute and nobody having any answers, McCarthy says enough is enough and strikes out solo in pursuit of the leaders over the crest of the climb.
The favourites not up front seem to be thinking of fourth and reel McCarthy back in but the gap to the front three is now over a minute.
With 5km to go not much has changed, the leaders work together well but the gap has fallen to 50 seconds with the work of Herklotz.
Moser better hope Sagan stays away as Vakoc can't take the pace of the young German.
Just one man has put the effort in to chase the leaders down on this descent and it's working! Silvio Herklotz had taken the gap down to below 40 seconds with 3km to go and the final kick to the line coming up.
The mini-tunnel onto the climb now and it's Bakelants leading. 45 seconds the gap as Herklotz begins to tire.
Bakelants tries to show Sagan onto the front under the 1 kilometre banner, but they don't have much gap to play around with!
800m to go, 26 seconds the gap and Ponzi opens up with Hagen and Skujins on his tail.
The finish is within sight and the leaders now opening up their sprint!
Bakelants is fading and Sagan can taste the win now! Behind the same order as before with all three looking fresh, but likely just for fourth.
200m to go and neither Bakelants nor Trofimov can match the speed of the Slovakian!
A difficult and deserved win but Peter Sagan makes it look easy! Bakelants holds onto second by a tire width over Trofimov. A deserved podium as the three most active favourites today. Surely the Belgian will be dissapointed with yet another second-place here, still hunting for the elusive opening day win.
Hagen comes around Ponzi for fourth whilst Skujins hangs onto 6th ahead of the quiet Kelderman, Boswell, Demare and Gastauer.
